When users go to the search engine's home page they are greeted to five elaborate illustrations, which have been designed in celebration for the annual day celebrated on October 31.

Clicking on the logo takes users from one illustration to another with a footprint underneath, which follow the sleuthing youths who are hunting a mysterious trick-or-treating candy ghost that has left a trail of sweets behind.

It was later claimed that the Pac-Man Doodle led to almost five million wasted hours and cost the economy around $120 million dollars, with office workers unable to tear themselves away from the rudimentary computer game.

Over the past 12 years Google has created more than 900 Doodlesto mark various birthdays, anniversaries and major world events.

Last year a series of Doodles showing UFOs and crop circles caused lengthy speculation before it was revealed that they were celebrating the birthday of HG Wells, the science fiction author.

The 50th anniversary of The Flintstones was celebrated by the search engine giant.

The first Google Doodle was born in 1998 when the search engine's founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page replaced the logo with a picture of a Burning Man, to notify the world that they had gone on holiday to the Burning Man Festival.